Proud
by Ashleopard
Summary: Harry teaches Teddy the Patronus Charm. One-shot


**I had a moment where I felt really bad for Teddy… so I decided to make this little story for him. : D Oh gosh… now I'm writing K+ fics… xP What's wrong with me?! Anyway, enjoy. **

**Harry's POV**

I stood, watching my family. Christmas was here, bringing the Weasley's together for celebrations at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. My wife, Ginny, was chatting with Hermione on the other side of the room. Ron and George were entertaining James, Albus, Lily, Rose, Hugo, and Little Fred near the center of the room. Victoire was holding her mother's hand as Fleur whispered something to Bill. Molly, Angelina, and Audrey were in the kitchen cooking while Percy was explaining something quietly to Lucy and Little Molly. Even Charlie had showed up. The house was very crowded.

Teddy came down the stairs. At 13 years old, Teddy was in third year at Hogwarts. He had come home for Christmas Break a few days earlier and ever since, his appearance had been consistent. It worried me a little, considering he usually changed every few hours. His hair was short, clumpy bubblegum pink and his eyes were green. Every time I asked, he said he was fine but he seemed downcast. That was unusual, since he had his mother's outgoing personality.

Teddy moved to sulk on the couch, not even paying attention to Victoire who usually caught his eyes. With a hollow feeling growing in my chest, I sauntered over to him. I could already feel the somber conversation on its way. "Hey," I said as I sat down, my hand moving to rest on his shoulder.

He nodded to acknowledge my presence. A lump was forming in my throat. Orphan to orphan, I knew what he was thinking about. The same thing still crossed my mind nearly every day, but came even stronger on holidays. He was wondering what would happen if his parents were here. It all too well reminded me of the long hours I'd used to sit in my closet at the Dursley's, thinking about my parents. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had always told me they were freaks, but that hadn't stopped me from questioning myself about what they would've said or done.

But Teddy had his Godfather, a gift I'd never been able to truly cherish until Sirius was gone. Sirius hadn't spent much time with me, so I still only knew a few wondrous things about my parents. I liked to think I could be to him what Sirius had been to me; a fatherly figure. So, I said, "What do you want to know, Teddy?"

"Anything you can tell me," he whispered hoarsely. I'd already told him nearly everything I knew, but he liked hearing it over and over again. I could relate.

With no concentration, I told him the story as if I were reading it from a script. "The first time I met your father was on the train to my third year at Hogwarts, where I was attacked by Dementors. He gave me chocolate to help me feel better." I smiled and blinked a tear away at the same time. Professor Lupin had been a good man. "That year he was my Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He was one of my favorite teachers of all time.

"I didn't know, but he'd been a good friend to my own dad. If he'd only talked to me about it… I probably would have more to tell you. But instead, he taught me something I still use to this day. He taught me how to cast my Patronus. In truth, that was the most precious thing he could do for me. It made me feel closer to my parents than ever before.

"Your mother was a member of the Order, a dedicated one at that. She was – in a word – a rebel. At least, that's what I think of when I think of her. She never wanted us to call her Nymphadora and only your grandparents could call her Dora. To all of us, she was Tonks. But to you, I'm sure she would more than happily accept Mom. She loved your father despite his flaws, like him being a few years older or his being a werewolf."

Despite the many times I had rehearsed telling him this story, tears still leaked from my eyes when I got to the end. "In 1998, when you were only a few weeks old, they came to Hogwarts to fight in the battle that would be the end of Voldemort. There, they met their end fighting for the cause to make sure you would grow up in a safe world."

Teddy twiddled with his fingers, trying to hide his obvious sorrow. His hair had grown a little darker with his mood, but was still pink as Tonks had liked hers. He must've been looking at the picture I'd given to him years ago. One of him, Lupin, and Tonks together. He had been a baby, of course. Tonks had been holding him, her hair brighter than I'd ever seen it as she looked from Teddy to Lupin.

"Uncle Harry," Teddy said quietly, "you said my… my dad taught you how to cast a Patronus when you were in third year and… it made you feel like you knew your parents better. I'm in third year. Could you… ya' know… teach me?"

I smiled. "I'd love to, Teddy."

His green eyes glowed a little brighter as I led him to the drawing room, which was much less cluttered then the other room. "Draw your wand," I instructed, smiling. On the contrary of most things that involved Teddy's parents, I had much enjoyed dreaming of the day I could pass on Professor Lupin's own wisdom to his son. I wanted to give him the feeling that his parents were still with him in his heart.

"First, you need to think of something happy," I began. "It has to be the happiest memory you have. Let the memory fill you up with happiness." Teddy closed his eyes. I let myself drift away on my own rift of memories. It was hard to choose between that image of my parents talking to me or Ginny on our wedding day, or the birth of our three children. In the end, I ended up putting them together. I was holding Ginny. Standing beside us were James, Albus, and Little Lily. My parents stood beside me. My dad looked proud, that approving look I'd seen in his eyes in the Mirror of Erised as bright as I remembered from first and seventh year. My mom held his hand, watching me with that love everyone talked about when they spoke of her.

My heart glowed, wetting my eyes again. With new power, I aimed my wand forward. The memory had some sort of energizing effect. "Next is a two-worded phrase," I said in an upbeat voice. "Listen and pronounce clearly as you do with any spell. The incantation is _Expecto Patronum. _With enough force and happiness, you'll be able to produce a Patronus. It's easier when there aren't any Dementors around, though you'll want to be able to ward them off eventually."

Teddy listened silently, nodding to show he was paying attention. "Watch," I said. I aimed at the empty space in front of me and said with vigor, "_Expecto Patronum_!"

From my wand appeared a majestic stag, slowly moving forward as silver gusts spurted from its head, creating antlers. It looked calmly back at me in a way that made me think of my father and my heart swelled. The stag glanced once at Teddy and then steadily walked onward until I allowed it to disappear in a flash of light.

"Wow," Teddy breathed. "My father taught you that?"

I chuckled breathlessly at the memory. "Yeah, and I owe him the world for it."

Raising his wand in determination, Teddy scowled in concentration and yelped, "_Expecto Patronum_!" A flash of silver blew from the tip of his wand, but vanished like fireworks. Teddy frowned, obviously disappointed with himself.

"Hey," I said soothingly, "that was great. No one ever gets it on their first time." I put my hand on his shoulder. "What memory did you think of?"

Teddy shrugged. "Well… I thought of when I was five and you gave me my first picture of my parents."

I thought for a moment. "Try for happier," I said. "The memory that produced my first… er, almost Patronus was me thinking of my parents talking to me. I… I wasn't even sure that it was a real memory, but it did the trick. Maybe you should think of something like that."

At the sight of his now exquisitely pink hair, I knew Teddy had a good memory in mind. His father's green eyes glinted in a way that reminded me of long classes of Professor Lupin trying to engrave a particularly difficult spell into our head. "Go on, Teddy," I encouraged. "Try again."

He stepped away from me and took a deep breath so I could nearly see the memory filling him. "_Expecto Patronum_!"

More sparks, some zipping a little further than the last time. But they weren't quite united in the necessary way to make a full Patronus.

Frustrated, Teddy put his wand down and the silver flashed to nothing. He glowered at the floor as if it were its fault that he was upset. Seeing that he needed a little more encouragement, I kneeled down in front of him and put my hands on his shoulders.

"Teddy," I said softly, but he didn't look up. "Teddy, come on. Look at me." He did. "You shouldn't expect too much at first, and by this point, I'd be telling anyone else that they need to take a break. But I know you have it in you, Teddy. Right here-" I moved my right hand and pushed it into his chest, right over his heart. "You have it in you. Your mother may not be visible, but every day I see you here, in you. She was the happiest person I ever knew, and she gave you her personality, Teddy; her sense of humor. You need to use every single bit of that now if you want to make a full Patronus."

Teddy nodded stiffly, one tear rolling down his cheek. I used my sleeve and wiped it away in a fatherly notion, then stood and patted him on the shoulder. "Happiest memory, Teddy. You can do it."

And he did. "_Expecto Patronum_!"

The air seemed to explode. From his wand a silver streamer morphed into a werewolf. Standing on its hind legs, the silver animals head swung around in an inspecting way. It glowed brighter and lumbered away in a fashion that reminded me far too much of when Lupin had accidentally changed in third year.

"Wow!" Teddy laughed loudly. "See that, Uncle Harry? I did it! It's my dad!"

"Yes," I chuckled breathlessly. I remembered when Tonks had cast her Patronus in front of me, a werewolf as well. "That's amazing, Teddy."

The werewolf gave us a last long look before it snorted, lifted its head in a howling motion, and pranced away in the direction my stag had disappeared. In a flash, it was gone as well.

"That was brilliant, Teddy," I said as I looked at the boy. He was smiling where it had last stood, tears streaking lines down his cheeks.

"Do you… do you think Mum or Da would be proud of me?"

I walked up to him and wrapped him in a hug. "They _are _proud of you, Teddy. They are very proud. And someday, they'll get the chance to tell you themselves."


End file.
